Hello hello!

For Hanukkah and Christmas, I got a bunch of Barnes and Noble gift cards (honestly that's all I ask for. EVER). I reeeeally wanted to run to the store then and there and drown myself in books, but I knew it wouldn't be practical, with the road trip and all. So I decided to order them online and send them to my grandparents house. They were here when we got here, and I almost cried. 

On a little side note here, I had to leave most of my books back home since the house is still up for sale and we needed the bookcases full. I only brought ones that I needed, most of them being series' that have the last book coming out this year (I reread all the books in a trilogy or series before the last book comes out so everything is fresh in my mind).

Anywho, I ordered the Shatter me trilogy, Unite me (which is the two novellas), and a fancy box set of the Percy Jackson series. Afterworlds and Black Ice are from my TBR shelf, which I obviously couldn't leave at home. Here's a little blurb on the books. 

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

I have a curse.
I have a gift.

I'm a monster.
I'm more than human.

My touch is lethal.
My touch is power.

I am their weapon.
I will fight back.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.

Let's just talk about the cover here for a second.
Beautiful, right? YES. I APPLAUD THE BOOK MARKETERS HERE. KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR DOING. Don't get me wrong, the original cover was pretty too. But still.
Let's compare, shall we?

B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Darcy Patel has put college on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. With a contract in hand, she arrives in New York City with no apartment, no friends, and all the wrong clothes. But lucky for Darcy, she's taken under the wings of other seasoned and fledgling writers who help her navigate the city and the world of writing and publishing. Over the course of a year, Darcy finishes her book, faces critique, and falls in love.
Woven into Darcy's personal story is her novel, Afterworlds, a suspenseful thriller about a teen who slips into the “Afterworld” to survive a terrorist attack. The Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead, and where many unsolved—and terrifying—stories need to be reconciled. Like Darcy, Lizzie too falls in love…until a new threat resurfaces, and her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she cares about most.



This fucker is huge. 608 pages!!!

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Britt Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there…and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

I'm a sucker for romance, and apparently Britt gets mixed signals from one of her captors. HAWT.


(Image and synopsis from Goodreads)

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods





I've heard nothing but fantastic things about this book, and I FINALLY got it. Christine Riccio (my all time favorite booktuber, you can find her channel here) praises this book likes it's the bible. SO OF COURSE I HAD TO CHECK IT OUT. 

I think I'm going to start Shatter me first, then depending on if I want to immediately jump into another series, either Percy Jackson or Black Ice. Happy reading :)

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Song I Played While Reading- Cut Your Teeth by Kygo
Rating- 4 stars

Synopsis-
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Wow. Just… Wow. 
It's really hard to describe this book and the feelings I have for it. This was the kind of story where you needed a day or two to really process it and figure out if you liked it or not. It was absolutely stunning. And the writing was incredible. 
The narrator's name is Cadence, and she comes from a very sophisticated, very white, family. They own a little island off the coast of Massachusetts, and all come down during the summer. We've got Grandad, his 3 daughters, and then the 7 grandkids. Of those 7, theres the 4 Liars. Cadence, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. It didn't bother me with how oblivious and spoiled everyone was. I knew people had issues with connecting or feeling sorry for Cadence because of how privileged she was, but for me it was more then that. The way Lockhart wrote this story made me aware of how wealthy they were, but in such a blatantly obvious way that it faded to the background. I was more concerned with the issues this family had. 
All that I can say without going into details and spoiling people is that it was not what I expected. Which isn't a bad thing, since I was pleasantly surprised when I finally did finish it. I had just thought it would have been more… glamorous. The writing at some points was very dramatic, which leads me to the few things I didn't like about this book. It was so dramatic and startling that at points you didn't know if it was really happening or not. For example-
"Then he pulled out a handgun and shot me in the chest. I was standing on the lawn and I fell. The bullet hole opened wide and my heart rolled out of my rib cage and down into a flower bed. Blood gushed rhythmically from my open wound,
then from my eyes,
my ears,
my mouth. 
It tasted like salt." (pg. 5)

When I first read that I jerked straight up, completely confused. Like, WHAT???? But then she goes on about her mother telling her to get her self together and you realize, oh she's just super dramatic. They're many more scenes like that, but some of them are apparently true (I read a bunch of other reviews to see what people thought about this issue). Which was the only problem I had with this book, cause I can't tell if they are real or not. They don't divulge into more detail on the episode, verifying if it really happened or not. 
Besides that I had no other issues with this book! It was beautifully tragic and well written and just all around fabulous. I highly recommend this book, and kudos to anyone that guesses the huge plot twist at the end.

Favorite Quotes
"That first night, I cried and bit my fingers and drank wine I snuck from the Clairmont pantry. I spun violently into the sky, raging and banging stars from their moorings, swirling and vomiting." (pg. 16)

""Can I hold your hand?" he asked.
I put mine in his.
"The universe is seeming really huge right now," he told me. "I need something to hold on to."
"I'm here"" (pg. 21)

""All right, " he says, stops jumping. "After lunch."
We stare at each other for a moment,
"I'm going to run away now," says Gat. "Don't take it personally."
"Okay."" (pg. 87)

"I looked at her. My lovely, tall mother with her pretty coil of hair and her hard, bitter mouth. Her veins were never open. Her heart never leapt out to flop helplessly on the lawn. She never melted into puddles. She was normal. Always. At any cost." (pg. 173)

(SPOILER)
"We burned them all.
On a night when Grandad and the rest had taken boats across the bay,
when the staff was off duty
and we Liars were alone on the island,
the four of us did what we were afraid to do.
We burned not a home, but a symbol.
We burned a symbol to the ground." 

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

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Route 66

Just wanted to post some pictures of the gorgeous views I had while on the road so far. We'll get to my grandparents at around noon tomorrow California time. I also am about half way done with We Were Liars! It's not what I expected, but still is very good :)

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Life Update

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to quickly tell y'all about something major that is happening in my life right now. My About Me page says I live in California, and when I wrote that I actually lived in Illinois. But in a few days my mom and I will officially be residents of California, so I figured I might as well write that instead of what I'm going to being doing right now. We're currently in Springfield, Missouri, and our destination for tonight is Amarillo, Texas. My mom wanted to drive so we could have most of our stuff with us, including (obviously) my car, Topanga. I don't want to even know how expensive all that would have been to ship, plus two plane tickets! Oy vey. Plus gas is cheap as hell right now, so what better time to do it?
I'm going to try and read in the car but occasionally get headaches if I do so we'll see how far I get. I've got We Were Liars by E. Lockhart with me, and I'm sooo excited to start it. I've heard awesome things about it. I havent decided what song I'm gonna read with it yet either, so we'll see!
Happy readings :)

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More Than This By Patrick Ness (spoilers)

Song I played while reading- New York by The Boxer Rebellion (super inspirational if anyone needs a pick me-up)
Rating- 4 trippy ass stars

Synopsis-
Seth drowns, desperate and alone. But then he wakes. Naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. And where is he? The street seems familiar, but everything is abandoned, overgrown, covered in dust. He remembers dying, his skull bashed against the rocks. Has he woken up in his own personal hell? Is there more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife? From the acclaimed author of the Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls comes one of the most provocative teen novels of our time.






Holy guacamole.
This is some trippy, futuristic, mind-bending shit. The ending turned my brain to mush.
"He's uncertain what's going to happen next.
But he is certain that that's actually the point.
If this all a story, then that's exactly what the story means.
If it isn't a story, then the exact same is true."(471)
??????
"He doesn't know where he'll wake up. Here. Or there. Or some third place, even more unexpected than this one. Because who can say in the end that any of these places is more real than any other?" (472)
WHAT.

This book makes you think, if you didn't already realize that. Not a lot, but more towards the end when Seth realizes what's happening. I don't recommend reading it when you're tired cause most of it goes right over your head and you'll have to go back and reread it. But overall I liked this book! Seth is a super easy character to read from, and towards the end really becomes heroic and sweet. Him and Gudmund were SO cute, I could not handle reading the memories. Regine and Tomasz were good supporting characters too, both struggling to learn the truth and slowly open up to each other. I especially liked Tomasz and the way he spoke such proper but broken English. There were a few unanswered questions, but I think Ness did that with the open ending in mind. I'm not a huge fan of those, but in this case it kind of worked because there were so many options.

Quotes
""And then it was going to kill her. Just to make the world work.
"The hell you are,"Seth says, pressing Lethe Initialized. A screen pops up besides it. Pause Initialization? Yes/No.
Seth stabs Yes. "How do you like them apples, you piece of shit? "" (382)

""Forget it," Regine finally says, rousing Tomasz and Seth from their bedroom. "Let's just go and you can fail and then we can all get some proper rest."
"That's the spirit," Seth says."" (438)

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Most Anticipated Books of 2015

Hi y'all!
I'm super giddy as I type this, so excuse any possible grammar mistakes. When I get excited I tend to type fast. NEW YEAR, NEW BOOKS PEOPLE. LETS GET CRACKIN'
P.S. Theres a bunch of spoilers all over dis biotch, so don't read my little blurbs at the bottom of each book if you haven't read the book or series yet.

I had a hard time figuring out which book was my number one. My top two are by the same author, who also happens to be my FAVORITE. Ever.

1.

Title- Queen of Shadows
Author- Sarah J. Maas <333333
Release Date- September 15th, 2015

Synopsis (my hopes for the book tbh)
Celaena sails back to Adarlan and kicks Arobynns ass. Then she makes up with Chaol, and they both go free Aeidan, who has been locked up in the King's jail for quite some time. Rowan sails back as well, immediately hates Aedion (who feels the same way), and then they all throw their brilliant minds together into figuring out how they're going to take down the King and free Dorian. The end!






Since there's no cover yet, I decided to use the next best thing: THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP I'VE EVER SHIPPED PLATONICALLY, Celaena Sardoethien and Rowan Whitethorn. This is my most anticipated release, and I guarantee I'll need to bring tissues with me when I go to the bookstore and get it.

2. (Images and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author- Sarah J. Maas (!!!!!!!! <333333)
Release Date- May 5th, 2015

Synopsis-
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

"As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns  through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae." I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK HOLY SHIT KFNIFUDGNSDXKFJQOIWEGNSELD. I may not live through this book. It just might kill me from excitement. I can't form a coherent thought whenever I think about this book. The cover is GORGEOUS. That dress also makes me wanna cry. I just…. ARGHHH I WANT IT NOW!!!! You can watch a video of Sarah talking about the inspiration's behind this book here. 

3.

Title- Ice Like Fire

Author- Sara Raasch

Release Date- Fall 2015

Synopsis- 
It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world

This is the second book in the Snow Like Ashes trilogy. I'm suuuuuuper excited for this one, especially since I just finished Snow Like Ashes a week ago and I'm still basking in it's glory. It kicked ass! Also that fucking cover. GORGEOUS

#4

Title- The Fifth Wave book 3

Author- Rick Yancey

Release Date- End of 2015

This is the third and final book in The Fifth Wave trilogy. All I'm gonna say is that this better tie up that crazy ass plot twist we got in The Infinite Sea or else I'll burn down Mr. Yanceys house.

(jk)

(maybe)

:)

5. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- A Cold Legacy

Author- Megan Shepherd

Release Date- January 27th, 2015

Synopsis-

After killing the men who tried to steal her father's research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet's secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor's own walls.

Then she uncovers the truth about the manor's long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—which forces her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. Juliet must decide if she'll follow her father's dark footsteps or her mother's tragic ones—or make her own.

This is the third and final book in The Madman's Daughter trilogy. I think I'm leaning towards Team Montgomery. Tall, blonde, and handsome? Uh, yes please.

Oh and I hate Lucy. Go away. YOU'RE RUINING THE LOVE TRIANGLE.

6. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Miss Mayhem

Author- Rachel Hawkins

Release Date- April 7th, 2015

Synopsis-

Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and best friend Bee has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can return her focus to the important things in life: school, canoodling with David, her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie, and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.

Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him.  The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an an ancient trial that will either kill her . . .  or make her more powerful than ever.

This is the second book in the Rebel Belle trilogy (soooo many trilogies). The first book was hilarious. It's quirky and cute and fierce, in a girly-girl kinda way. Although I am a little suspicious of Bee, Harper's best friend. Nothing good can come from disappearing for a few weeks and then returning like nothing happened. I'M WATCHING YOU BEE. 

7. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- The Ruby Circle

Author- Richelle Mead

Release Date- February 10th, 2015

Synopsis-

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis.  Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

This is the final book in the Bloodlines series. I've loved Richelle Mead ever since Vampire Academy (one of my all-time favorite series ever (please don't talk to me about the movie)) and I'm sad to see this series close. This book is going to be completely epic because, not only are Sydney and Adrian obviously in it (and they're MARRIED), but ROSE, DIMITRI, LISSA, AND CHRISTIAN ARE GOING TO BE IN IT TOO. And that "key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world"????? I'm dead.

I read an article about Richelle where she talked about how she is going to write another series in the Moroi world because she didn't have enough room to wrap everything up from VA and this series too. AND she said she wouldn't mind writing from Rose's POV again. Like????? ROSE IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER. IF I GOT ANOTHER 6 BOOK SERIES FROM HER POINT OF VIEW I WOULD….. HONESTLY I DONT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO. I WOULD BE MENTALLY UNSTABLE, THATS FOR SURE. 

8. (Image and synopsis from Goodreads)

Title- Six of Crows

Author- The heartbreaker Leigh Bardugo
Release Date- October 8th, 2015

Synopsis-
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

I just got goosebumps reading that. This is the first book in Leigh Bardugo's new series. She is the author of the Grisha trilogy, which just about broke me. I've never in my life cried so hard at an ending, or wished so hard for another book. This has 5 glorious stars already written all over it. ME SO EXCITED!!!!

9.

Title- Boy Most Likely To

Author- Huntley Fitzpatrick

Release Date- June 2015

Synopsis- 

Surprises abound and sparks ignite in the highly anticipated, utterly romantic companion to My Life Next Door

Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To:
- find the liquor cabinet blindfolded
- need a liver transplant
- drive his car into a house

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To:
- well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard. 

Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.

And Alice is caught in the middle. 

WOOP WOOP! My Life Next Door was so cute and adorable I just wanted to rip it to shreds from how jealous I was. Tim was that quirky, smart-ass friend who always had me laughing out loud. So I know this book will be awesome. (I'm already picturing how epic the banter between these two lovebirds will be and chuckling to myself)

10.

Title- P.S. I Still Love You
Author- Jenny Han
Release Date- June 2nd, 2015

Synopsis-
Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of makes it so amazing.

Cutesy contemporary about first love. What's not to like about it? And Lara Jean is an independent biotch. I dig it.

11. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble) 

Title- The Wicked Will Rise
Author- Danielle Paige
Release Date- March 28th, 2015

Synopsis- 
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

After a tornado swept through my trailer park, I ended up in Oz.

But it wasn't like the Oz I knew from books and movies. Dorothy had returned, but she was now a ruthless dictator. Glinda could no longer be called the Good Witch. And the Wicked Witches who were left? They'd joined forces as the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and they wanted to recruit me.

My mission?

Kill Dorothy.

Except my job as assassin didn't work out as planned. Dorothy is still alive. The Order has vanished. And the home I couldn't wait to leave behind might be in danger.

Somehow, across a twisted and divided land, I have to find the Order, protect the true ruler of Oz, take Dorothy and her henchmen down—and try to figure out what I'm really doing here.

Looooooved Dorothy Must Die. Mostly because Dorothy dressed like a slut in the book. She wore red, sparkly stripper heels. How cool is that?!

Anyways, Danielle Paige managed to fit a whole bunch of stuff in the first book, but make it flow in a way where you didn't feel like you were rushing through it. I loved it. Everything is ass backwards and nothing is what you expect.

12. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Vanishing Girls

Author- Lauren Oliver

Release Date- March 10th, 2015

Synopsis-

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

First off. This cover. STUNNIG. 

Secondly, LAUREN. OLIVER. She has the most beautiful writing of any author I've ever read. It's magical and enticing and really makes you think. I expect nothing but the best from this book. 

13.

Title- Passenger

Author- Alexandra Bracken

Release Date- Fall 2015

Synopsis- 

Passenger concern a modern teen's accidental discovery of her ability to time-travel, and how her attempts to return home draw her deeper into a dangerous treasure hunt that spans centuries and continents.

Alexandra Bracken. Time Travel. :DDDDDDDDD

14. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Red Queen
Author- Victoria Aveyard
Release Date- Febuary 10th, 2015

Synopsis-

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

Another pretty cover! I think the people who work in book cover designs are finally learning! This sounds crazy cool and reminds me a little of Snow Like Ashes. *squeals*
Oh and the Grisha trilogy now that I think about it. *screams and cries*

And finally, 15. (Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Frostfire
Author-Amanda Hocking
Release Date- January 6th, 2015

Synopsis-
 Hidden deep in the heart of a snow-covered wilderness lies the secret kingdom of the Kanin—a magical realm as beautiful as it is treacherous…Bryn Aven has never fit into Kanin society. Her blond hair and blue eyes set her apart as an outsider—a half-blood unable to hold a respectable rank. But she’s determined to prove herself as a loyal protector of the kingdom she loves. Her dream is to become a member of the King’s elite guard, and she’s not going to let anything stand in her way…not even her growing feelings for her boss, Ridley Dresden. A relationship between them is strictly forbidden, but Bryn can’t fight her attraction to him. And she’s beginning to think he feels it too. Meanwhile, there’s an attack on the kingdom—one that will test Bryn’s strength like never before. Finally, she has the chance to confront Konstantin Black, the traitor who tried to kill her father years ago. It’s up to Bryn to put a stop to him before he strikes again. But is she willing to risk everything to protect a kingdom that doesn’t accept her for who she really is? And when her mission brings her closer to Ridley, will she be able to deny her heart?

I'm off my game. I didn't realize this came out already!! This book is the first in Amanda Hockings new trilogy that takes place in the same world as her Trylle trilogy, which I read as well. I liked the Trylle trilogy so I definitely need to get my hands on this one. And this cover? Hello, gorgeous!

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2015 in 8 days

HELLO EVERYBODY!
Since it's only January 8th I figured I should quickly recap what I've read so far. (I originally wrote 2014 in the title, read it over for a few seconds, thought to myself "that doesn't sound right", then realized my mistake. I wonder how many time I'll do that until it finally sinks in that its 2015.)
(SPOILERS)

First book I read in 2015!

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Snow Like Ashes
Author- Sara Raasch
Rating- 5 glorious star
Song I played while reading- Light Years Away (feat. DBX) [Tiësto & MOTi Remix] By Tiësto

Synopsis-
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. The Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been searching for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild their kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, Winter’s future king—she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of half of the ancient locket that can restore their magic, Meira decides to go after it herself—only to find herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics, and to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

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So PRETTY *drools*

Obviously I lucked out with my first book. Technically, I started this book in December. December 28th to be exact (gotta love Goodreads). BUT I didn't finish this beaut until January 3rd. I know, I know, thats 7 days!!!! For me thats a long time. Usually I can finish a book in 3 or 4 days. But for the first 50 pages, I wasn't really interested. I found the description of the world and how it worked to be a little confusing.
So I set it down and didn't pick it back up until January 2nd. And that just happened to be when Meira started kicking ass. And I mean MAJOR ass. She's in league with Celaena Sardothien (I'll get to that beautiful series in a later post). And maybe my head wasn't really in it when I first started the book, with new years and what I was gonna wear and where we were going all swirling through my head, because once I picked it back up I flew through it. It was amazing. Things just started making sense and I was really thinking about this world and how cool it is! The Seasons?! Just picturing these places took my breathe away. And at the end when Autumn and Summer came to fight with the Wintertians against Spring, it honestly made me cry.
The scene where Meira knocks over the wood platforms and heals that boy… OH MAN DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT. I was bawling my eyes out. So so so beautiful. The boys in this were juicy and scrumptious as well, and I'm totally Team Theron (even though it seems that Meria doesn't like Mather anymore, so Theron wins :) ).
Overall, 5 stars to the wonderful Snow Like Ashes. It's one of my favorites this year, and I can't wait for the second book to come out, Ice Like Fire. On her tumblr, http://sararaasch.tumblr.com/snowlikeashes, it says the release date is Fall of 2015. CANT WAIT!


On to the next!

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands
Author- Chris Bohjalian
Rating- None because I couldn't finish :/
Song I played while reading- I'm Not The Only One by Sam Smith

Synopsis-
Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is the story of Emily Shepard, a homeless teen living in an igloo made of ice and trash bags filled with frozen leaves. Half a year earlier, a nuclear plant in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom had experienced a cataclysmic meltdown, and both of Emily's parents were killed. Devastatingly, her father was in charge of the plant, and the meltdown may have been his fault. Was he drunk when it happened? Thousands of people are forced to flee their homes in the Kingdom; rivers and forests are destroyed; and Emily feels certain that as the daughter of the most hated man in America, she is in danger. So instead of following the social workers and her classmates after the meltdown, Emily takes off on her own for Burlington, where she survives by stealing, sleeping on the floor of a drug dealer's apartment, and inventing a new identity for herself -- an identity inspired by her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson. When Emily befriends a young homeless boy named Cameron, she protects him with a ferocity she didn't know she had. But she still can't outrun her past, can't escape her grief, can't hide forever—and so she comes up with the only plan that she can. 

A story of loss, adventure, and the search for friendship in the wake of catastrophe, Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is one of Chris Bohjalian’s finest novels to date—breathtaking, wise, and utterly transporting.

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It's rare when I don't like a book enough not to finish it. Actually it's rare when I don't like a book in general. Even if it is a little iffy, I try to finish it just so I'm not judging it on only half the book. I want the full effect of it, ya know? Anyways, the two that I can think off the top of my head that I didn't finish because I just reeeeeeeally didn't like them are The She by Carol Plum-Ucci and Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. They didn't catch my attention enough, and I had other books I wanted to read. I try not to waste my time on things I don't enjoy.
Sadly, this book is now added to that list. I picked this one up on a whim, having been drawn to the gorgeous cover while at Barnes and Noble. The summary seemed interesting so I snagged it.
I think the biggest problem for me with this book is how its written. Its all over the place. Each chapter is split into multiple paragraphs, and each paragraph is different. It's not in chronological order. The narrator could be talking about what she was doing right at the moment (the igloo she made, which was where she was sleeping), then jump back to what she was doing when the nuclear power plant exploded, then go forward again to the different places she slept while she was homeless. Or it would just go to a certain memory about her parents or her dog. That's not really my cup of tea, so I decided to put it down.

And finally, what I'm currently reading right now.

(Image and synopsis from Barnes and Noble)

Title- More Than This
Author- Patrick Ness
Song- New York by The Boxer Rebellion
Synopsis-
Seth drowns, desperate and alone. But then he wakes. Naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. And where is he? The street seems familiar, but everything is abandoned, overgrown, covered in dust. He remembers dying, his skull bashed against the rocks. Has he woken up in his own personal hell? Is there more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife? From the acclaimed author of the Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls comes one of the most provocative teen novels of our time.








Thoughts so far (spoilers)-
WOAH.
Just… Woah.
I had zero expectations for this book. The summary is trippy enough and the author can go anywhere with this idea. So far, I'm liking it. Seth is in the prison where most of the townspeople are hooked up to the internet world, and is just about to wake up from the pain inflicted on his "damaged node" by the re-actualization beam. I don't know what to expect. Is Driver going to be standing above him, ready to zap him into the afterlife? Maybe Tomasz and Regine will have followed him and they will be dragging him back to their house? I don't know! 
Seth and Gudmund are absolutely adorable and I'm rooting for them. Maybe we can get a cliche happy ending. I'll totally cry if they get back together. 

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